A number of business operators have declared a three day strike beginning Monday February 29, 2016.
The operators; the Joint Business Consultative forum is made up trade unions like GUTA, Importers and Exporters Association of Ghana, Food and Beverage Importers Association of Ghana, Ghana Institute of Freight Forwarders, Customs Brokers Association of Ghana among others.
The strike according to them follows government’s failure to engage them over the introduction of high taxes.
This also comes after the Ghana Union of Traders Association, (GUTA), directed all its members to raise red flags at their shops in support of protests to demand a reduction in what the association refers to as a high tax regime.
Speaking to Citi Business News Protocol Officer of GUTA, Richard Amamoo said government must rather consider widening the tax net than increasing taxes.
“This decision was taken at a meeting by the consultative forum and our members have been communicated to and we believe we will have about 90% of them participating in this action. The reason is the cumulative and high taxes being charged on us and that is the reason why we have had several engagements with the government asking them a lot of reasons to remove these taxes. But all seem to have fallen on deaf ears. We have no option than to go on strike,” he stated.
Mr. Amamoo added, “We insist that government has no business increasing and introducing new taxes. Government should rather consider widening the tax net but as long as it continues in the current posture which is like they are not ready to meet our demands, we have no option than to strike.”
– By: Norvan Acquah – Hayford/citifmonline.com/Ghana
